Mimis Message

Words of Wisdom

Mimi Fitzgerald
Lay Director May 2008 --

MIMIGram #8 8/20/08 Women's 127 Cursillo

Hi all,
Just a quick reminder that tomorrow evening the 127th Women's Cursillo begins at the Dominican Retreat House in Mclean. The Palanca Calendar and all information pertaining to the weekend is on the website www.arlingtoncursillo.org and in the Aug.-Sep. issue of "His Banner".

I am delighted to let you know that Marilyn Krause has agreed to serve as rectora for the Women's Team in March, 2009 and Tony DeCristofaro will lead the Men's Team in April 2009. Please keep them in your prayers. The Team Selection Committee will begin shortly to make calls for the teams. If you are called, please consider the requests pray fully and also consider joining us at the School of Leaders around the diocese. We will be scheduling sessions on team formation and the information from "The Fundamentals Ideas of the Cursillo Movement" provides us with tools to assist in our growth not simply as cusillistas but as Christians.

Hope to see you this weekend at mananita and closing.

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God bless
Mimi Fitzgerald
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MIMIGram #7 8/12/08, SOL at St. John the Beloved

I meant to write this on Saturday afternoon and did indeed put it together once and lost it. Such is the joy of computers. So it is Monday evening at the beach, the Outer Banks of North Carolina with 28 members of my family, some watching the , Olympics, some tucked in bed and a couple in various stages of meltdown.

We had an exciting morning on Saturday at the SOL at St. John the Beloved. Thanks to Mark and Sue Clemente for gathering many members of that community, to Freddie Wall for the presentation on the purpose of Cursillo , to Jean Sweeney on the Why and How To Draw Near to Suffering and to Father Scalia for giving us his blessing. In particular , Jean asked us to consider being present to others in their hard places of pain, to find and share the vision of Christ who will bring something good out of these times. We need to believe in the reality of Easter resurrection after the pain and death of Good Friday. So many of us have experienced this in our lives and hopefully it leads us to a deeper relationship with our God. It is indeed an ongoing journey. Consider joining us at next month's SOL: at Nativity.

If you haven't already, please check out the Palanca Calendar and the website for the candidate list for the Women Weekend. I know that Palanca from the beach doesn't sound very authentic, but consider 14 cherubs under the age of 13!!!!

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God bless
Mimi Fitzgerald
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MIMIGram #6 8/05/08 SOL 8/8/08

For God and for each other, we would love to see you at the next School of Leaders' meeting at St. John the Beloved in McLean on August 9, 2008 at 9:30 a.m..

Our School of Leaders is coming to YOU. Instead of your traveling far and wide to take advantage of what the School will do for you, we come to YOU.

The agenda for Saturday morning August 9 is as follows:
    Meet and greet - Coffee, fruit, bagels, etc.
    Leaders' Prayer
    Group Reunion
    Discussion of the second half of Chapter 2 of, The Fundamental Ideas of the
    Cursillo Movement", The Purpose of the Movement..led by Sue and Mark Clemente
    Books will be provided.
    Guest Speaker is Jean Sweeney speaking on,
    Why/How To Draw Near To Suffering
    Q&A for Jean
    Closing Prayer.

The last School of Leaders at St. Charles provided a lively and thoughtful
discussion. All of you who were there please come and continue.it was great!
The Kairos presentation by Angela Dinkle spread good seed on fertile ground. We
expect to see more Cursillistas doing prison ministry.they need us.
ALL are invited to participate.

Please Join Us -
Mary Lou McGonigle
SOL Director

MIMIGram #5 7/29/08 Feedback

I meant to do this yesterday, but there were other things to do then. We often as for your prayers and then forget to follow-up and particularly to say "thank you".

It was a busy weekend for some cursillistas and I always know when we ask for palanca , prayers, sacrifices and notes are sometimes written and sometimes simply offered.

For the members of the Secretariat, it was a prayerful, peaceful time at Mt. Tabor on Friday night and Saturday. It is a beautiful place, tucked in the woods, and Father Paul Weyant's hospitality is as wonderful as it was for those who remember his days at Missionhurst. It is good to come away and spend time in quiet in the company of our brother, Jesus and His friends. Jean Sweeney guided us and hopefully we will be better servant leaders for this community because of this time.

The 127th Women's Talk Day went well and their smiling faces are on the web site as is the Palanca Calendar for the weekend and there is still some space on the weekend.

Sunday, the October Men's Team met for the first time/ Their journey has just begun. Please remember them palanca during formation. The team list is now on the website.

The National Encounter begins on Thursday and there is an opening Mass on Friday. Again take a look at the website.

And so , I do say "thank you" for prayers and all of the "yes's" of this community. I am constantly aware of the support that you give and I keep you in my prayers, daily.

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God bless
Mimi Fitzgerald

First the members of the Secretariat will spend some quiet time at Mt. Tabor from this Friday evening until Saturday afternoon-July 25-26 - "Listening and being led in Prayer, Community and Service - Together."

The August Women's Team will have Talk Day this Saturday, July 26 at St. John Neumann's.

And the National Encounter will start at Catholic University on Thursday, July 31.

There is much to pray about and offer sacrifice for. Please keep all of these endeavors in your thoughts. Somehow it makes even our mundane, routine activities a little more alive when we keep others in mind!!

And one more request - work is going to be done on our website. What would you like to see on the Arlington Cursillo site? How can we serve you better with clearer information, communication and support? Think about this. Pray about it. More information will be forthcoming in future "His Banner's"

MIMIGram 3 7/13/08 Updates on National Encounter, Local SOL, St Charles Ultreya

I am attaching a flyer concerning the National Encounter and I hope that some of you are able to attend the open sessions. There is much to be gained from these Spirit filled gatherings and I hope to see you there!!

Yesterday was a double header at St. Charles as we hosted the Northern Virginia SOL in the morning and our parish ultreya in the evening.

Frank Mcleskey put life and energy into SOL and "the Fundamental Ideas of the Cursillo Movement". Angela Dinkle shared experiences and information on Kairos. It is good to group with different members of our community and to share the richness of diverse ministries. Next month SOL in Northern Virginia will be at St. John the Beloved in McLean. Check the web site for time and topic and join us.

Last night's parish ultreya was again a time to experience grouping with friends we don't share with every week. Mike Doyle shared his journey and offered us the opportunity to become aware of another person's search for a deepening relationship with Christ.

If you have a number of cursillistas in you parish and do not have a functioning ultreya, think about getting one started. It's not difficult and it is wonderful to spend the time together and help each other grow!!

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God bless
Mimi Fitzgerald

Attachment:
18TH NATIONAL CURSILLO ENCOUNTER
The Catholic University of America Washington DC
Thursday, July 31 – Sunday, August 3, 2008
“Christ Is Our Light”

"Sometimes our light goes out but is blown into flame by another human being. Each of us
owes deepest thanks to those who have rekindled this light” Albert Schweitzer

The time has arrived for the Washington DC Cursillo Movement to host the 2008 National
Encounter. The time has arrived for us to be Christ and to share Christ with 650 cursillistas
from the English, Hispanic, Korean, Vietnamese, and Portuguese language groups in the United
States. The time has arrived to receive a wonderful blessing and to be that blessing to someone!

For those locals who registered for the National Encounter, arrive early to sign-in and obtain
room keys and/or Encounter information at Caldwell Hall at the Catholic University of America
on Thursday, July 31, from 11:00am – 2:00 pm. Dinner is served from 5:00 – 7:00 pm.
General sign-in for all others is from 2:00 – 5:00 pm in Caldwell Hall and late registration will
take place at Edward J. Pryzbyla University Center, 5:00–7:00 pm. Try to arrive early at 11:00

Calling ‘All’ Cursillistas to Attend “Open Events” at the 2008 NATIONAL ENCOUNTER
If you are unable to attend the 2008 National Encounter but want to participate where possible, below are two events that are open to all cursillistas, regardless of registration status.
􀀁 Opening Session of the 18th National Encounter, Thursday, July 31, at 7:30 pm, Basilica
of the National Shrine, Upper Church: imagine, cursillistas illuminating the National
Shrine by ourselves; imagine, joining hands and hearts with 650 cursillistas across the US as
lights for Christ; imagine, the Keynote Address, Christ is Our Light” by Bishop Gonzalez,
prayer, song, Adoration, Benediction, Reconciliation…and lots of grace; imagine, missing
this historic event by not attending! Don’t stay home this night, be blessed and a blessing!
􀀁 Mass – Friday, August 1, 11:30 am – 12:30 pm, Upper Church, National Shrine
o Concelebrated by Bishop Francisco Gonzalez and Bishop Martin Holley

We still need your help, whether registered or not, with the National Encounter:
Registration, hospitality (see article), transportation (greeters) etc. Please contact Jackie
DeMesme-Gray at washcls@aol.com or on (202) 330-7337 to share your gifts.
Celebrate our National Encounter: Grand Fiesta: National Encounter Goes Country-Western
Sat., July 26, St. Mary’s of the Assumption School, 4610 Largo Road, Upper Marlboro, 20772
We must be around each other to relight another’s flame. One candle can light another candle
and still keep its light; one candle can light many candles without diminishing its own flame.
Be a “Light for Christ” at the 2008 National encounter! Wear your sunglasses.
God bless you, Jackie DeMesme-Gray

MIMIGram 2 7/9/08 Help with meals at the 127th Women's Cursillo

Message from Pete Hadinger regarding Meals at the Dominican Retreat House:

The 127th Women's Cursillo, August 21-24, is fast approaching. You are on this email because you (or your best Cursillo buddy) said you'd like to help with food for upcoming Cursillo retreats. Feel free to pass this on to another Cursillista!

We currently have 11 Babe Chicks and 13 Team members signed up for the August retreat at Dominican Retreat House in McLean and our team will be supplying breakfast on Friday, Saturday and Sunday as well as lunch on Sunday. Regulations at Dominican prohibit on-site cooking so we will be bringing in prepared foods to heat/chill and serve.

I have two requests of you. First - I would appreciate your filling in the blanks below and returning this form to me so I can understand availability and create a contact list. Second - because we are new to serving food at Dominican, it would really help to have some folks on the cook team help with a meal with Dominican's regular retreat volunteers to get the lay of the land and procedures. I would like you to consider volunteering for one of the dates below.

Name:
Home phone:
Cell phone:
Preferred email:

Availability:
Friday 8/22 Breakfast (Y/N):
Saturday 8/23 Breakfast (Y/N):
Sunday 8/24 Breakfast: Fredericksburg Ultreya
Sunday 8/24 Lunch (Y/N):

I'll help with a "Volunteer Training Opportunity" at Dominican (pick from July 12 B-L-D; July 13 B-L; July 23 D; July 24 D; July 25; July 26 L-D):

Finally, while I plan to do as much organization as possible by email, I'd like to host a 30 minute call-in discussion about schedules, food, etc. at noon this Friday - conference bridge: (218) 936-7979 code 131725#. Note this is a toll call from DC (if you have a nationwide cell phone plan use it!) Let me know if you plan to dial in.

In Christ's service - DeColores,
-Peter Hadinger

(703) 715-2639 h
(703) 975-9008 c
hadinger@cox.net

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God bless
Mimi Fitzgerald

I would like to get out and about, renew friendships and establish new ones, as we all travel on this journey each day, strengthening our relationship with each person we are in contact with and our brother Christ. Let me know who you are, where you are and when you meet, and I will plug your address into my VZ navigator and come find you.